Thiago, the rise and rise of Barça's Samba Boy >> Read My Mind

Guardiola: 'Thiago is not a prospect anymore, he's becoming a reality'
Guardiola: 'Thiago is not a prospect anymore, he's becoming a reality'

Guardiola: 'Thiago is turning into a mature player who can add lots to the team as a whole. His presence makes playing with a 3-4-3 less risky'

- After spending a massive 80MILLeu on Cesc and Alexis, it is significant to see that Thiago has enjoyed as much confidence from Pep Guardiola as the 2 new signings, if not more.

What I love about Samba Alcantara is that he has improved his passing accuracy without actually losing that spark to take risks from midfield. He seems like a more developed player, someone who can take control of the match pace, someone who is ready to learn from players around him rather than just trying to take their spot.

This year, Thiago has renewed his Barça contract until 2015, won the European Championship with Spain U21s, has become a regular to Del Bosque and is making a name for himself next to legends such as Xavi or Iniesta. And the guy is only 20!

GREAT TEAMS ARE BUILT AROUND STAR PLAYERS, BUT THEY'RE IMPROVED BY QUICK, YOUNG LEARNERS!!!!